Cash-for-kindness scandal rattles Wikipedia

Asher Moses

THE toughest two weeks of the career of the Wikipedia co-founder, Jimmy Wales, just got tougher, with a former chief scientist at one of the world’s biggest technology companies claiming Mr Wales traded Wiki edits for donations.

Jeff Merkey, a former computer scientist at Novell, claims Mr Wales told him in 2006 that for a substantial donation from Mr Merkey, he would edit his Wikipedia entry – which included details of lawsuits involving Mr Merkey including one brought by Novell alleging misappropriation of trade secrets – to make it more favourable.